evil. But indeed this mercy is given to the preceding merit of faith and this hardness to the preceding impiety.”44 This is certainly true, but it was still necessary to inquire whether the merit of faith, too, comes from the mercy of God, that is, whether this mercy, then, is shown only to a man because he is faithful, or whether, in truth, it has been shown so that he has become faithful. For we read what the Apostle says, “I have obtained mercy to be faithful;”45 he does not say, “because I was